Beaver Choice vs. Welcome Diner: Poutine Punchdown

If you're looking for a hearty, stick-to-the-ribs hangover cure, look no further than a nice, hot plate of poutine. The Canadian classic post-bar snack hasn't quite taken roots in the Valley yet, but a few local spots like Petite Maison and Rose & Crown offer the dish for the culinarily curious. Poutine is basically just French fries smothered in brown gravy with cheese curds on top, but there are many variations around town too. For this battle, we stacked up a classic, straightforward take on poutine from Beaver Choice against Welcome Diner's more unique take.

The Setup:
The Scandinavian and Polish restaurant specializes in all things comfort food with a distinct North and East European twist. After moving to a new location from Tempe to Mesa this year, Beaver Choice got stylish new digs but still serves the same schnitzels, Swedish meatballs and golabki as before. The Arizona by way of Sweden by way of Poland owner still dishes out all of the essentials of her former homelands, including the standard plate of poutine.

Heather Hoch

The Good:
If you're a poutine enthusiast, this is exactly what you'd expect to get when you order the dish--crisp on the outside, soft of the inside fries covered in smooth beef gravy and topped with local, fresh cheese curds. It's simple and straightforward. Plus, you can choose how much poutine you want with rarely offered sizes. If you're anything like us, you'd pick a large anyways, but it's nice to have the option.

The Bad:
While the poutine is a typical take on the dish, it is pretty basic. We've found that the heartiness of the dish's essential ingredients often benefits from chopped scallions or chives to add a nice herby and bright flavor kick. Without a bit of freshness, the dish is just an undeniably heavy plate of fried potatoes, gravy and cheese.